Page 44 of Out of Sight

Anya nodded. “Mr. Ormyet, Ted, please have a seat. We have much to discuss.”

Ted smiled and settled near her grandmother. Nora sat near them as well. Ormyet poured tea and then held Aurora and her brother while Sabin kissed Nora’s cheek and headed to work.

Ted watched the nanny, unsure whether to claim the children or not. Aurora was sitting on Ormyet’s shoulders, and the baby was content to just stare at him.

Ted cleared her throat. “Ormyet, is that a normal response by the children?”

He grinned. “It is. To me at least. My siblings used to crawl all over me. Kids love me.” He waggled his brows at her.

Anya chuckled. “So you are interested in children?”

“Oh, very. But I can wait.” He grinned. “So do you do your own hair, or do you get it done? I am trying to get an inkling of what our kids will look like. I am going to have to look into hairstyles that will be practical and warrior-like for any daughters we have.”

Ted stared at him in astonishment as he let Aurora dangle from his forearm. He spoke so casually that she was stuck looking at him as he dangled the little omega a few inches above the ground.

Anya chuckled and said, “This explains what I was seeing. They look like little dryads.”

Ted blinked. “What?”

“Their skin is a woodland green and dark hair, and they are climbing everywhere.”

Ormyet smiled and continued to play with the children. “I will show Ted how to make glamour charms for the children. They will look just like their cousins.”

Ted’s mouth opened and closed with a snap. He gave her an innocent smirk, and Nora chuckled.

Anya smiled. “I am just going to hope Ormyet is persuasive and start working on baby clothes.”

Anya’s phone pinged, and she looked and smiled. “I can make those.”

Ted looked over. “What was that?”

“Patterns for baby clothes. Super soft and easy to manage.” She grinned. “Lucia says just in case.”

Ted looked around, and her family was amused, and Ormyet had that slight smile as he played with her little cousins. She was just rescued from her fate, so why did she suddenly feel doomed all over?

Chapter Eight

Lucia sat at Yorwell’s worktable while he sculpted a samovar. “This is a very novel way to spend a meeting day.”

He chuckled. “I saw something interesting, and I wanted to try making it. You keep working on those cookies.”

Yorwell had done a very thorough analysis of her new body with magic and a visual examination. She was glad that they were at his place. It was less mortifying with just him there. When he confirmed that her stone-to-flesh spell had been very effective, he had given her a jar full of cookies and encouraged her to sit near him while he worked.

She pulled out the first cookie and nibbled at it while he removed his jacket and dress shirt. That got her attention. Glyphs and symbols that moved even when he was standing still covered his torso.

“Uh, what kind of craft involves getting half naked?”

He grinned. “The best ones.”

He got a block of copper off a shelf and consulted his notes. Once he was ready, he put the block on a turntable, slid his fingers into the metal, and pulled upward like it was clay.

She nibbled the cookie, and her swallowing seemed to be fine. Watching him was surprisingly enjoyable.

He focused as he moved the metal. It glowed red under his fingertips, but it did as it was told.

“So, this is a weird hobby.”

Yorwell smiled. “For my people, getting control of touch is the hardest thing to manage. We all try and figure out methods that work for us. I have gone with sculpting.”